THE ROYAL ETHIOPIAN TRUST INC

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2024 IN MAY 2024, RET COMPLETED THE ACQUISITION OF THE SHIELD OF MAGDALA, A SIGNIFICANT ETHIOPIAN ARTIFACT TAKEN DURING THE 1868 BRITISH EXPEDITION TO MAGDALA. THE SHIELD WAS PURCHASED FOR 6,440.81 THROUGH BOARD MEMBER NICHOLAS MELILLO AND REPRESENTS A LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT UNDER RETS CULTURAL PRESERVATION PILLAR. FOLLOWING ITS ACQUISITION, RET ORGANIZED A PUBLIC CULTURAL EVENT AT THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART IN OCTOBER 2024. THIS EVENT FEATURED PRESENTATIONS BY HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ERMIAS SAHLE SELASSIE AND DR. ALULA PANKHURST, ENGAGING MUSEUMGOERS AND THE ETHIOPIAN DIASPORA IN DISCUSSIONS ON HERITAGE PRESERVATION AND RESTITUTION. AFTER THE EVENT, THE SHIELD WAS SUCCESSFULLY RETURNED TO THE ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM IN ADDIS ABABA, WHERE IT NOW RESIDES AS A SYMBOL OF ONGOING HERITAGE RESTORATION. PROJECT ETHIOPIA (JULY 18, 2024 5,000): RET FUNDED THE CREATION OF A REVOLVING MICRO-LOAN FUND FOR RURAL FARMERS IN THE DANGLA REGION OF NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA. LOANS ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH LOCAL CREDIT ASSOCIATIONS AT 5% INTEREST (COMPARED TO 20%+ FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS), PRIMARILY BENEFITING WOMEN. THIS INITIATIVE SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS, FINANCIAL RESILIENCE, AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. ADDISCODER (SEPT 5, 2024 2,500): RET CONTRIBUTED TO THIS FREE RESIDENTIAL CODING PROGRAM FOR ETHIOPIAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ETHIOPIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, ADDISCODER PROVIDES FOUR WEEKS OF ALGORITHM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE TRAINING AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS. WONFEL AID (SEPT 23, 2024 3,000): RET SUPPORTED THE WONFEL AMHARA EMERGENCY FUND AND SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVES. THIS PROGRAM ACTIVATES THE ETHIOPIAN DIASPORA TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT, PARTICULARLY IN RESPONSE TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN THE AMHARA REGION. ADHENO INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT (OCT 7, 2024 2,700): RET PROVIDED AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO ADHENO, AN ETHIOPIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT NGO. FUNDS WERE USED TO SUPPORT PROJECTS IN FOOD SECURITY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND STUDENT AID FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. CONCLUSION IN 2024, THE ROYAL ETHIOPIAN TRUST MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD ITS FOUNDATIONAL GOALS. THROUGH SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING, TARGETED COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, AND THE HISTORIC REPATRIATION OF A NATIONAL ARTIFACT, RET REINFORCED ITS COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING ETHIOPIAS HERITAGE WHILE INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE. THESE EFFORTS REFLECT OUR ENDURING MISSION: TO EMPOWER, PRESERVE, AND UNITE THROUGH CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND PURPOSE.